


The Asset

by Ariella1941



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Legends - All Media Types, Star Wars Legends: The Old Republic
Genre: F/M, Food, Food Kink, Light Bondage, NSFW, Oral Sex, Phone Sex, Plot, Smut
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-12
Updated: 2017-03-17
Packaged: 2018-10-03 01:53:12
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 10,000
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10233044
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ariella1941/pseuds/Ariella1941
Summary: The Asset is a reimagining of a Light Side Agent's post Makeb storyline and her relationship with Theron Shan.I do not intend this to be as faithful a retelling of SoR and the other expansions as I've done in In the Shadow of Empires, and The Asset might get a bit darker and certainly more sexually intense than ItSoE.





	1. The Asset

Theron walked into Club Ufora, in the Red-Light Sector, and headed straight for the bar. Once he would have been steered away from this particular cantina, but now-a-days it was a SIS front. The perfect meeting spot to pick up an asset and make a clean getaway.

In this particular case the asset was a woman named Narysa Pryce. Theron looked around as he pulled up facial recognition software. Scanning the crowd, he found her sitting in a back booth, looking nervous. Her eyes fluttered from one patron to the next, and she sank back into her seat when she saw him.

 _Great, just what I need, somebody’s jittery secretary,_ he thought, and that’s what she looked like. She wore an outfit that made it seem as if she came right from the office. Her washed-out brown hair was in a tail, and she had muddy hazel eyes. She was sort of pretty, if one liked the type, but Theron wasn’t interested in her looks. Though he had to wonder what she knew that warranted an escort like the one he’d been ordered to provide.

She looked up at him as he reached the edge of her table, and something changed. It was something more sensed than seen, or maybe, as he looked into her eyes there seemed to be more than just some jittery woman who was out of her depth.

“You drink alone often?” he asked her.

She shook her head, “I came looking for company, but haven’t been able to find any I liked… until now.” Her voice was shy, but there was an undertone that Theron picked up on, but couldn’t quite place.

“I’m glad you approve,” he replied, finishing the countersign and settling into the booth beside her, “Theron Shan.”

“Narysa Pryce,” she said with smile, “you have good timing. I just got here myself.”

“Which means we should probably wait at least a little bit before leaving,” he nodded, noticing the honest relief in her voice.

“I’d suggest we’d talk about the weather but smog and acid rain aren’t exactly pleasant topics.”

Theron found himself laughing. “You’re right, they aren’t.” He was grateful she was relaxing, but he found himself wondering how much of her nervousness was an act now that they were talking. “We could talk about the swoop finals from yesterday.”

“And what makes you think I’m a swoop fan?” she asked teasingly.

“Just a guess.”

She laughed with him this time and said, “I may have won a small amount on that last race…”

They talked about the races for the better part of an hour, with Theron admitting he’d done some time on the amateur circuit on Manaan.

When he realized the time, Theron smiled and said, “maybe we can continue this conversation at my place?”

Narysa stood, gathering her things, and replied, “I’d love to.” She then slipped an arm about his waist and snuggled into his side as he instinctively put an arm around her shoulder. It’d been a while since he’d held anyone this closely. It also felt good… too good. He forced himself to ignore the feeling as they walked out of the club.

***

“Did you see the two of them?” Narysa asked Theron as they neared the safe house.

“Yeah,” he replied in surprise, as it’d only been the barest movement that caught his attention when they turned the corner. “They can’t have been following us long.”

“Are you willing to trust me, Theron?” she asked him in a professional, almost formal tone.

“Yeah, I am.”

She let go of him and grabbed the sides of his jacket, leading him into an alleyway. “Good because I think I’m feeling a bit impatient.” She stopped for a moment, allowing her lips to brush against his then pulled him further out of sight.

The two thugs followed their quarry into the alleyway, expecting easy prey, only to find armed predators. Theron went to one knee as the paralyzing agent worked on his target.

“Who do you work for?” he asked quickly.

“Davvd,” the man muttered as Narysa rifled through his partner’s belongings. “needed to make quota…”

“He doesn’t have any more to tell us,” she said calmly and shot him with the hold-out pistol which had appeared in her hand. Theron checked the man’s pulse and Narysa shrugged coolly. “Davvd was a lieutenant of a Hutt who fell from grace named Fa’athra.”

“And you shot him, why?”

“Stun only. It’ll interfere with short term memory,” she said defensively. “Unless you want him remembering what we look like?”

“No, not really,” Theron told her, wondering who this woman really was.

***

Cipher Nine gratefully slipped inside the SIS safe house and looked around. Keeper had once called the Republic’s Strategic Intelligence Service Imperial Intelligence’s smaller, more flexible counterpart. Cipher could help but smile at how right she’d been.

 _Can’t I just be Narysa Pryce tonight?_ She asked herself. It’d been so long since she’d used her given name. Ardun and the SIS had managed to wipe out the connection between Cipher Nine, Legate and Narysa once more with the Black Codex, but she couldn’t erase how she thought of herself so easily.

And then there was Theron…

Cipher had never had any intention of keeping him in the dark. She was willing to put on a public show, but she wasn’t going to hide herself completely from a fellow SIS agent. In fact, outside of Ardun and the Deck, Theron was probably the only one she could be herself with.  Maybe more, considering the tension she felt as she looked at him. And the way he was looking back.

“You’re SIS, aren’t you?”

“Yes,” she replied.

“What kind of SIS agent doesn’t have at least a dozen ways on and off the capital?”

“One that’s technically persona non-grata in the Republic,” she sighed. “Please believe me when I say I want to be as honest as I can with you, for a number of reasons, but we both still have a duty to the Republic.” Narysa had never said that aloud to anyone before, not even Ardun, but Makeb had been the last straw. The Dark Council couldn’t continue. The Empire couldn’t continue. And the only way to ensure that was for the Republic to win.

She depressed a hidden button on the bracelet on her right wrist and allowed the holo-disguise to fade away. Narysa felt no different but she knew what was happening: the wires of the minor facial implants framing her right eye appeared even as the eyes themselves darkened from hazel grey to brown. She reached back to undo the tail of her now dark red hair.

Theron took a step toward her, licking his lips as he watched the disguise fade with heated eyes, “and there’s a reason you want to be honest with me?”

“Because it’s been a long time since I met anyone I wanted outside the Job.”

Another step. “How long?”

“Over four years,” she whispered, raising her hands above her head, crossing them at the wrists. “Tonight, I just want to play.”

Permission given, Theron crossed the last few meters between them and caught her up in an almost bruising kiss. They stumbled backward toward the bedroom door. Narysa felt her back press into the metal and groaned. She tried to press herself against him, to get the friction she so desperately needed but he held his body away from hers even as he held her wrists over her head.

He broke away from her and stripped off his jacket, shirt, bracers and gloves. She stayed still, hands still over her head, as he reached for her again. She let him strip her clothing off, his mouth claiming hers once more. It felt so good to just be. The last of her clothing fell to the floor and his hand slipped from her wrists, tracing her upper arm, down to her shoulder, along the curve of her breast. Even as he ran a thumb over the nipple, he pulled her against him in a slow sensual grind.

The kiss broke as he looked at her. “Good?” he asked.

“Very,” she replied. “I want to touch you.”

He nodded his permission and she reached down, curling fingers around him, slowly stroking his length through his pants, even as her free arm wrapped itself around his waist, fitting herself against him.

Theron’s mouth followed his fingers, moving down her neck to her shoulder and to her breast, causing her to squeal as his tongue curled around her nipple.

He began to thrust harder against her, in time with her strokes, and she reached to the side for the door release. They stumbled across the darkened room, falling onto the bed with Theron kneeling over her.

They were both gasping for breath, and a knowing smile flashed on his dark face as he went to all fours, his nose barely touching hers.

“Not done with you yet.”

“Thank the stars!” she said reaching for the fasteners on his pants. Stripping off the rest of his clothing she pulled him down on top of her. “No more waiting,” she murmured and guided him inside her. He moaned as he slid deep and they began to move.

Narysa felt her body clench around his with every thrust, winding tighter and tighter. She wrapped her legs loosely about his, thrusting back up against him, matching his rhythm. Then he drove deep inside her, catching her mouth with his as he pulled out so slowly. He stopped just as he was about to exit her and then thrust hard once again. A second time, a third and on the fourth she couldn’t hold back anymore and came hard around him.

As soon as Theron felt the tremors of her climax he began to thrust in earnest. He wanted to come, needed to, inside this amazing woman, and as she tried to match him again he lost all control, reveling in her.

“Wow…” Theron managed once he came back to himself.

“We only rate a ‘wow’?” Narysa asked with a smile.

“Well, it’s a start, and we do have until tomorrow night to practice some more.”

“Practice does make perfect, or so I’ve been told,”

“Yeah, I’ve heard that too,” he said as he shifted position to spoon her from behind.

“Theron?” she said, suddenly sounding a little nervous, “will you stay with me until they send me back out into the field?”

“Of course.”


	2. The Debrief

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Theron and Narysa arrive on Coruscant for the Makeb debrief as their attraction to one another continues to grow.

Theron felt worn, but it was the good kind of worn. The kind you get after a really good workout, and last night was a hell of a workout. He smiled to himself at the memories of the past couple days, as Narysa entered the cockpit of the shuttle. “Buckle in,” he told her. “We’ll be landing soon enough.”

She settled into the co-pilot’s seat, watching the planet swell into view. “I know Nar Shaddaa is called little Coruscant, but it’s nothing like this.”

“No… No, it’s not, and if we had time,” he stopped and sighed, “I doubt you’re ever going to see a world quite like it.”

“You’re probably right.”

“Coruscant control, this is shuttle _Sojourner_ requesting landing clearance.”

“ _Sojourner_ , this is Coruscant control, clearance granted, transmitting coordinates for docking bay now.”

“Thanks, Coruscant control, _Sojourner_ out.”   He punched in the new coordinated and the shuttle dropped out of the main flight control path toward a secondary docking area usually reserved for Senators and other VIPs.

“Might seem counter intuitive, but it’ll be easier to slip you though security.”

Narysa nodded as she watched the city flash past. “I understand, and I should probably get into costume,” she said.

She didn’t really like holo-disguises. Ever since that first time on Nar Shaddaa where Watcher X surgically altered her for a special version, she’d always felt claustrophobic inside one. It was psychosomatic, she knew that. You couldn’t get closed in by a holo-disguise but it still happened. She pressed the button and looked over at Theron, “Well?”

“You look like the same woman I picked up yesterday night,” he said with a dark gleam in his eyes.

“I’ll be happier when I can be myself again,” Legate said, settling into her new mindset.

“What would you say if I told you, I’m looking forward to that to, Narysa,” he replied quietly.

Legate looked at him and allowed herself to be Narysa Pryce for a moment. “This debrief isn’t going to be over in a day. Maybe we can have some time in?”

“Count on it.”

***

The apartment, like the landing pad was used by VIPs, and had the virtue of being close to the Senate Tower. Theron waited for Narysa to finish dressing when the door beeped then opened, allowing Marcus Trant entrance.

“Director?” Theron said in surprise.

“Where’s our asset?” he asked without preamble.

“Narysa’s just getting dressed,” Theron told him.

“Narysa, huh?” Trant said, “you were supposed to retrieve an asset, not get emotionally involved. How much have you figured out?”

Theron’s eyes narrowed, but he had to wonder if the Director was truly angry at him or if this was just lashing out because of something else.

“Does this have to do with the incident report I filed as soon as we dropped from hyperspace?” he asked his boss, and the silence was answer enough.

“I figure she’s Imperial, possibly Imperial Intelligence even though she hasn’t dropped her Republic accent since I met her. She’s also good. She can improvise and she’s knowledgeable about the territory.”

Narysa walked out of the bedroom at that moment, dressed in fashionable work clothing that wouldn’t stand out in the halls of the Senate Tower.

“Narysa, this is Director Marcus Trant of the SIS, sir, this is Narysa Pryce,” Theron introduced them

“Agent Pryce, welcome to Coruscant,” Trant offered with a smile.

“Thank you, sir,” she said, continuing with the perfect Republic accent. “Shall we get going?”

“One thing before we leave for the debrief: The Supreme Commander and Grand Master of the Jedi are going to be sitting in on this. That’s how seriously we’re talking the preliminary information you gave us, Agent Pryce.”

“I understand, sir.”

And so did Theron, and it worried him. Would Jace listen to whatever Narysa had to say, even if Satele was willing to vouch for her truthfulness? He didn’t know, and right now wasn’t the time to ask the director what he thought the odds were.

***

Legate savored one last squeeze from Theron’s hand and stepped into the briefing room. A broad-shouldered man rose from his seat. His skin slightly lighter than the director’s, with one side of his face was a lattice work of scars, and he wore the uniform of the Supreme Commander.

Next to him stood a woman about her own height, who could have been anywhere between 30 and 60 standard years of age. The only true hint of aging was the grey in her braided hair. But it was the lightsaber at her side that made Legate tense, for this had to be Satele Shan, Grand Master of the Jedi Order.

_Shan_

She hadn’t thought about it before now, but as she searched the other woman’s face she found herself looking for traces of Theron. Were they related?

 _Focus on Makeb!_ She thought as she shut down her disguise.

“Master Satele Shan, Supreme Commander Malcom, this is Legate. She’s one of our deep cover operatives with the Empire,” the director said.

“Ardun Kothe recruited you, didn’t he?” The Grand Master commented.

Legate looked a little shocked then shot a look at the director who nodded she should answer the question.

“He did, Master Satele,” she finally said.

“He has a lively faith in your judgement, Legate,” Satele replied, never taking her eyes off the other woman, but the message was clear. The Jedi were willing to give her the benefit of the doubt.

Malcom glanced at Satele for a moment then settled himself in his seat. “We should begin.”

Legate nodded, taking her own seat. Reminding herself that Theron was in the waiting room she began:

“A month ago I was summoned to a meeting with Darth Marr of the Dark Council regarding the planet known as Makeb…”

***

It was late into the night when Satele finally declare they were done for the time being. The session had been as intense as any Legate ever had in her career, and definitely the longest. She’d lost track of time half way into the report itself and their questions seemed endless, but at least now she could go back to the apartment and rest.

 _At least they fed me well,_ she though, looking at the remains of the meal that the Supreme Commander had ordered for them all. It’d been different than anything she’d ever tasted. He called it a cheeseburger.

“How’d it go?” Theron asked as he joined her at the door. She flipped the disguise back on immediately and looked up at him.

“Were you waiting all this time?”

“I told you I would, didn’t I?”

“Let’s get back to the apartment," she mumbled as Theron wrapped an arm beneath her shoulders, as she snaked her own arm around his waist for support. With his help Narysa made it to the waiting vehicle and managed to stay awake during the blessedly short ride.

She deactivated the disguise as the scent hit her and the door closed behind them. She found herself looking toward the small table in the middle of the living room. There sat what had to be a half basket of Alderaanian strawberries along with a bottle of wine, chilling in what looked like a bucket of ice.

She stared at the table then looked back at Theron, who was grinning. “I though you could use a pick me up.”

“It looks lovely, Theron, but I’m not sure I have the energy to eat anything,” she told him regretfully as she looked at the berries with longing.

“Go lay down on the couch, I’ve got that covered too.”

She laid back on the black leather couch as he brushed the first berry against her lips. She took a careful nip, letting the sensual pleasure of the juice tingle down her tongue. He smiled at the look of bliss on her face then asked, “ready for some wine?”

She pushed herself up slightly, but Theron had other ideas. He dipped the berry into the golden bubbly liquid, and then offered another bite. She took it, savoring the taste of fruit and wine. He fed her that way, soft and gentle for some time.

She pushed herself up and smiled at him, feeling more relaxed and happier than she’d had in years. “You’ve taken such good care of me,” she said but pressed her fingers to his lips before he could say anything. “Here, and on Nar Shaddaa. It’s my turn to take care of you.”

“I didn’t do this…” Theron protested, but his eyes were heated.

“I know, but I want to take care of you, and I want what I’ve wanted since I saw you in Club Ufora.”

“And what was that?”

“You. In my mouth.”

He groaned, eyes closing as he fought for some kind of control. “You’re sure about this?”

Narysa stopped. “Theron, you can say no if you’re not comfortable.

He didn’t answer her, but rather than say no he stripped off his jacket, gloves, shirt and bracers. Then shoving the table aside, he lay on the plush blue carpet eyes closed as he tried to control his breathing.

She looked at the table and saw there were only one or two berries left, but she didn’t need them, while there was still the wine.

Pouring a fresh glass, she dipped a finger in then straddled his hips. She leaned in, tracing his lips with the wine and felt him shiver. Taking his lower lip, she began to suck gently, then traced his upper lip with her tongue, exploring the softness of him.

Trading kisses she explored with her hands, one thumb rubbing over a hardened nipple.

She broke the kiss, moving down the line of his body, tracing it with wine and yet more kisses.

When she reached his belly button, she poured a small bit of wine and began to slowly lap it clean.

Theron tried to stay still, but he couldn’t. He buried his fingers in Narysa’s long red hair.

“Please,” he muttered, and she looked up at him with a smile, then undid the fastenings of his pants.

She rolled the pants down and curled fingers along his already hard length. Reaching for the wine again she traced the tip with the liquid and began to suck.

“Narysa!” he thrust up unexpectedly as she took him deeper. Teasing under the tip with her tongue she moved lower and lower until he was completely in her mouth. Then she truly set to work as he writhed beneath her.

“Stop, please stop!” he cried out and she did, looking down at him concerned. “I’m too close. We need to stop.”

“Theron, I want you like this. I want to taste you like this.”

His breathing was heavy and his eyes were barely rational, “what about you?”

“I trust you’ll think of something.”

 “All right, but one other thing for me?”

“Anything.”

“Drop the accent. I want to hear _your_ voice tonight.”

Narysa gave him a heartbreaking smile, and in clipped Imperial tones said: “Done.”

Theron lay back, letting the orgasm build inside him. If it’d been a long time since he’d ‘released’ some tension, it’d been even longer since _he’d been_ the focus of someone’s care. It crashed into him with a strength where all he could see was white and all he could feel was the pleasure of her mouth and fingers playing out the climax for as long as she could.

When he came back to himself he found Narysa straddling him, looking very pleased with herself. He surged up and caught her in his arms pulling her down to the floor. “You look happy.”

“I could say the same of you, Theron,” she said and there was something about hearing his name in that accent that was thrilling. One less secret between them. She began to unbutton her shirt but he stopped her.

“Let me,” he said as he carefully removed her shirt and bra. He stopped to take her in, how damn gorgeous she was, how she looked at him like he was everything in her universe. “How do you want to play?” he asked her.

Her answer was simple, she crossed her wrists above her head, just as she had at Nar Shaddaa and his heart raced. This time he reached for the sash that served as a belt and used it to tie her hands together. Just tight enough to give the illusion of restraint. Then he took the last of the berries and brushed it against her lips. She tried to lean up for a bite but he pulled it just out of reach. After a second time, she whimpered: “Please…”

Only then did he allow her to take a bite, watching the juices flow over her lips. He leaned in, stealing a kiss that tasted like fruit and her. Then he dipped the berry into the glass of wine and gently smeared it onto her breasts. Moving down, he slowly licked one nipple clean, then the other, savoring the flavors that touched his tongue.

Narysa urged him on, not bothering to hold any pretense of a character any longer. It was so freeing, laying here with this man, letting him explore every centimeter of her, learning every intimate secret. She didn’t care if the parts of her that were Cipher Nine or Legate disapproved. Narysa Pryce needed this slow build toward ecstasy.

Theron undid her pants and shoes, tossing them aside, leaving her laying naked on the floor. He knelt there, watching her with heated eyes, but doing nothing for a long moment.

“Theron… Please,” she begged him, her voice ragged with need. His response was to move slowly. Dipping a finger into the wine, then tracing the seam of her inner lips. He followed that trace with his tongue and began lapping up both the wine and her moisture.

“Yes…more…”

He kept working her with his tongue, lips and teeth, bringing her right to the edge as many time as he could until she was barely coherent. Then he curled his tongue around her clit and began to suck.

Narysa had faked orgasm for the sake of the Job more times than she cared to count, but she’d never done so with Theron. And this time she came in a wash of pleasure that blinded her to everything else.

She opened her eyes to find Theron lying beside her. “So, did it work?” he asked

She nodded, trying to find her voice, but instead he kissed her. She tasted the combination of the fruit, wine and them on her tongue and was intoxicated all over again.

“I think I feel a second wind coming on,” Theron said, “if you’re interested.”

“I’m very interested, but in bed maybe?”

“Whatever you want.”

***

Later that night, Legate lay in bed, Theron spooned against her back holding her gently, like a lover.

 _I should ask for a transfer,_ she thought to herself. _Officially defect_.

But she couldn’t. The information on Makeb changed things and the war was just going to get uglier. Cipher Nine needed a visible presence for certain members of the Dark Council, and Legate needed get the information that Cipher’s access could provide. Leaving Narysa out in the cold.

“What are you thinking so hard about?” Theron asked quietly.

“The war,” Legate said, “and my place in it.”

“If you’re burning out, Narysa, I’m pretty sure you could make a convincing case to the Director to keep you here.” But there was something in Theron’s voice.

“I haven’t told you everything, Theron,” she replied, “hopefully someday I’ll be able to, but I can say, the best way I can serve the Republic and help end this war is out in the field.”

“You’re probably right, but that doesn’t change the fact I don’t want you to go.”

Narysa opened her mouth and closed it several times before she could finally speak, “I don’t want to leave you either…”

“Get some sleep, Narysa. Still have another day of debrief and then…”

“Then it’s back to the Job.”


	3. The Goodbye

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Theron and Narysa say goodbye... for the moment.

“We knew it would have to end eventually,” Theron said as he sat on the couch of the Nar Shaddaa safe house. It was a different location from where they first met, but like all SIS safe houses it was the same construction.

“I suppose that’s true,” Cipher said, working hard to fall back into her double agent persona, but it was difficult with Theron being so close.

“But it doesn’t have to be cold, Narysa,” he told her as he got up and took her by the shoulders.

“It’d be easier if it were, Theron,” she replied. “I feel like I should apologize…”

“Don’t start,” he told her, “I knew what I was getting into, and this war won’t last forever. It’s getting uglier, but we can win this.”

She looked up into his eyes, and saw the belief there, and she realized she shared it.

“Maybe…uhho…. In coming from the _Shadow_ ,” she said as she activated her auditory implant and said “receive.”

“Agent!” Kaliyo’s voice rasped in her ear, “finally, when you said you were going dark you weren’t kidding, but you better get back to the ship. We got a call from a Darth Arkous and he wants to talk to you.”

“Hold on, Kaliyo, I’m on my way.”

“I take it we’re not going to have a long goodbye?” Theron asked.

“I need to see a Darth Arkous, do we have anything on him?”

“Give me a second… He’s on the Council, but don’t know what sphere he controls.” Theron said as he pulled up a file.

 “I better go.”

Theron pulled her into a hot kiss before Narysa could leave. “Stay alive, because when this war is over...”

“We have a lot to talk about, you and I.” she breathed as they broke the kiss.

She checked herself once more time, ensuing nothing she was wearing could be tracked back to the SIS and then touched his face for a last moment, then was gone.


	4. In Too Deep

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Theron rescues Imperial Agent Cipher Nine from a genetics lab beneath Manaan’s seas only to find what she really means to him.

“The autodocking sequence is cycling now, ready to get out of there?” Theron asked from the safety of the conference room in which he sat. He pulled up the video of the enemy he was helping to rescue. After all, he couldn’t help be curious about a woman who’d been awarded a coveted Cipher designation. They’d been the best of the best under the old management and that fact that this one was still functioning with obvious loyalty to the Empire said a lot… Then he looked up.

The holo was of a tall woman, maybe 180 cm with long red hair and brown eyes. Simple wires framed her forehead and a part of her eye and cheek, indicating implants.

“You’re with the Republic?” she asked, voiced leeched of all emotion, but there was something in her eyes.

The dismissiveness hit him like a lash though, and it was just what he needed, “Yeah, but I’m trying to save your life. Is that a problem?”

“No,” she said more quietly, and that something else in her eyes glowed for the breath of an instant, “not at all.”

***

Cipher enter the conference room within the half hour, wearing a body hugging black armored suit, she nodded to Lana then gave the man in the room a piercing look. “This is our new ally?” she asked and a predatory smile spread across her face.

“Yes, this is Theron Shan, Republic SIS and Theron this is Cipher Nine,” Lana said.

“Cipher Nine, huh? We have a file on you.” He said watching her intently. “On most of the Ciphers actually.”

“Oh?” she said sounding disinterested.

“They’re not very big files, in fact they’re pretty empty…”

“Well, we’ll be working together it seems, right Lana?”

The other woman nodded, “Theron and his people were duped by Colonel Darok just as we were by Darth Arkous.”

“Then you’ll have some time to try and gather observations for that file of yours, Agent Shan,” she purred.

***

Hours later a washed out looking woman who bore no resemblance to Cipher Nine sat in a back booth of a Selkath cantina. It was a small and she had a good view of the entire bar.

“Do you always drink alone?” a familiar voice asked.

“Not if I can help it. Especially in these circumstances.” She replied as she looked up at Theron. “Please, sit.”

“Narysa… When I said I was going to see you again…?”

“I wasn’t expecting this soon either,” she said, keeping up her Republic persona. “Thanks for the rescue.”

“My pleasure, but this complicates things.”

“And it simplifies them too. We actually know two things: the director hasn’t been compromised, and neither has my usual handler,” Narysa pointed out, “getting to them is another story.”

“Point, but then there’s us.”

She nodded. “There’s us. We’ll just have to do the Job, and I’ll see about having some fun while I do it.”

“You’re going to try and seduce me,” Theron rolled his eyes, but he couldn’t hide the smile.

“Of course, I will, we can even make it a game of who blinks first,” Narysa said. “It’ll keep Lana from trying to sense too deeply if she thinks this is all part of the Job.”

“She’s in over her head that’s for sure,” Theron commented.

“Then we should be able to keep one step ahead of her and my crew,” Narysa told him.

“Agreed,” Theron said, “but I better go. We’ll see each other as soon as Jakarro has a lead on those artifacts.”

She touched his hand. “Be careful.”

“You too.”

***

Days came and went as Narysa waited for word from Lana. All the while she had vivid dreams about her time with Theron. Enough that she was grateful for the soundproofing in her quarters. She also glad she’d taken to regular sweeps of the ship for bugs after Imperial Intelligence was dismantled. It was in those first few passes, her crew learned better than to spy on her private quarters. Cipher may have not taken a lover in a long time, but that didn’t mean she didn’t attempt to ease her tensions. After one such eavesdropping session by the Kaliyo, Cipher had been furious enough to threaten to eject her from the airlock. It had taken the combine skills of Vector and Doctor Lokin to talk her down.

“We have an incoming call for a Lana Beniko,” Scorpio announced over the intercom. “She wishes to speak to you as soon as possible at Vaiken Spacedock.”

“Thank you, Scorpio,” she said, setting aside any thoughts of Theron and privacy. “Please set a course for the fleet as soon as possible.”

“Of course, Agent.”

***

“Hello, Lana,” Cipher said as she sat down across from the Sith Lord, “You have something for me?”

“Not as much as I’d like,” the other woman admitted, “but Jakarro’s associates have been able to track some Rakata technology moving through exchange channels. And with Theron’s help, we’ve managed to identify more Revanites within the power structure of both the Empire and the Republic.”

Cipher nodded, “I was sent to infiltrate them once, but they were never militant, and they certainly never interested in the Republic.” She shook her head and gave Lana s predatory smile, “Theron seems to be quite the useful fellow.”

“He is,” Lana admitted, “I’ve been unable to find out much about him except that he’s difficult to read. Even more so that you, Cipher.”

She shrugged, “Not surprising considering he’s SIS. If I were the Republic, I’d ensure my agents had some form of defense against either a Sith or Jedi picking through their minds.”

“No, this is more than that,” the Sith Lord sighed, “I believe that Theron being involved is no coincidence. I suspect he is somehow related to Satele Shan, who is the direct descendant of Revan himself.”

Narysa blinked. She’d had the same suspicions but hadn’t bothered to voice them. There hadn’t been a time or place, and Theron had a right to his secrets, but Revan?

 _Yes, when in the middle of everything else was he going to tell you about his family history?_ She laughed at herself.

“You’re implying the Force brought us together?”

Lana nodded, “which is why I worry about your… flirtations with him.”

Cipher’s lips sketched another predatory smile as she said, “It’s part of the Job, Lana. Think of it as a game where I’m trying to get Theron to blink. He’ll do the same with me, and whomever blinks first loses.”

“And if you lose?”

“Have I ever lost when the fate of the Empire was at stake?”

Lana considered her for a moment, “No, you haven’t.”

“And I won’t lose now.”

***

Narysa paced the cabin of _Wraith’s Shadow_ like a caged nexu. What she’d found at Vaiken Spacedock when she returned from Rakata Prime worried her. Darth Arkous’ former chambers had been ransacked and it was only though the intervention of Lana’s astromech droid that she knew to meet her contact on Manaan.

 _Let them be all right,_ she thought, _let Theron be all right._

“You sure you want to go this alone, Agent?” Kaliyo asked her.

“Yes,” she replied, “I can blend in with the crowds on the surface easier alone, especially if I use a holo-disguise.”

“I know how much you hate those things, so I know you’ve got to be serious.”

“You have no idea.”

***

Theron watched as a youngish Chiss woman nearly walked past the half open door of the conference room. She stopped a moment as she checked the time on her chronometer. Theron’s hand was at his blaster but Lana shook her head as the Chiss entered. She closed the door behind her and hit a second button on her chrono, dispelling her disguise.

“Thank the Force you’re safe,” Lana said with honest feeling.

“Yeah, with all the fire Revan’s ship was laying down, I didn’t think anybody would get out,” Theron told Cipher. And he hadn’t. It’d been one of the worst moments of his life, leaving her behind, but he and Narysa were both professionals with a duty to the Republic. Even if it’d been a bitter taste in his mouth.

“What I believe Theron means is he’s grateful to see you safe,” Lana replied.

“What I mean is any ally is a welcome ally,” Theron retorted, slightly annoyed at Lana for putting words in his mouth, and more annoyed because all he wanted to do right now was hug Narysa tightly make sure she was all right.

“Just an _ally_ , Theron?” Cipher asked wickedly, “and here I thought someone in the SIS had a crush on me.”

Now she’d done it. _Okay, if that’s the way we’re going to play…_

“Me? Into you…? Don’t be ridiculous.”

“Really?” she said with a smile he remembered from Coruscant.

 _I know, but I want to take care of you, and I want what I’ve wanted since I saw you in Club Ufora_.

The memory of that smile and those words sent a shiver down his spine, but he grit his teeth and did his best to look as if he were fighting Cipher’s charms.

“Really,” he said flatly. “I’ll leave you and Lana to your super-secret Imperial debrief whatever, and then, Lana, we can find some star systems to lay low in.”

That took Cipher by surprise, “What?”

“The Empire has placed a bounty on my head for the murder of Darth Arkous,” Lana said sadly, “Jakarro now has 12 separate death marks…”

“…. Which is a new record for him,” Theron added.

“And you?”

“Disavowed, which is pretty tame considering the circumstance.”

Cipher looked at them and said, “I should go with you.”

“No,” Lana said, “for all intents and purposes you are Imperial Intelligence now.”

“And I have more experience unwinding conspiracies than any of you.”

Theron shook his head, “Whatever experience you may or may not have, the Revanites haven’t made you a target yet, which means you can move freely where the rest of us can’t.”

“Theron, Jakarro, D4 and I will go underground and continue our investigations,” Lana told her, “once we have something we’ll contact you.”

“I’ll be disappointed if I miss the big finish, Lana.”

“You won’t,” she promised.

“Good,” Cipher replied. “Stay alive, both of you.” She gave them both one last nod, activated her disguise and slipped from the room.


	5. Heated Words

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cipher arrives on Rishi and the pair find time for a little release.

“Lana Beniko, fancy seeing you here.” Cipher said as she and Vector stood in the Rishi heat.

“My apologies for the cloak and dagger, Cipher, it must get tiring,” Lana replied walking forward.

“Don’t be silly, I live for this kind of thing,” Cipher chided her, “and I haven’t played notorious pirate in years. It’s a refreshing change of pace!”

“Good,” Theron said flatly as he followed Lana from a small hovel at the end of the alleyway. “You’ll be doing more of it.”

“And hello to you too, Theron,” Cipher smiled sweetly.

“Is that a good hello or a bad one, because aside from Lana, I can never tell with you Imperial types.”

Cipher sidled up to him, invading his personal space until they were nose to nose. “After our last conversation, do you really need to ask that question?” she said as she cocked her head to one side.

Theron swallowed and stepped back, trying to ease the tension between them. “Point taken.”

Lana cleared her throat and said, “we should continue this conversation elsewhere.”

Theron nodded, “Right. Follow me.”

***

Theron disappeared into a small room off the main one, and began to work at the terminal there. It was hard to focus knowing Narysa was here, even harder to focus on her persona of Cipher Nine. Narysa had been straightforward and honest about wanting him, where Cipher projected an agenda.

_You know which one is real and which is…_

His though was cut off by door opening, and Cipher stood there with a smile. “Am I interrupting?” Without waiting she closed the door behind her, locking it tightly, then she placed a small noise dampening device on the wall. Striding toward him, her arms went about his waist holding him tightly. “Thank the stars you’re safe,” she muttered into his neck.

He tilted her face up so he could see her eyes. “I missed you too, Narysa.” He replied kissing her passionately. They broke for air quickly, and she looked at him.

“I’m supposed to be the one seducing you, remember?” she curled a leg around his, fitting them together tightly.

“You seem to be well on your way, _Cipher_ ,” he told her softly as she ground her body against his.

“Good,” she moaned, “I think it’s time you succumbed to my charms, and we…”

It was at that moment Lana chose to knock on the door. “Is everything all right?”

They broke apart and Cipher picked up the dampener. She opened the door with a dark look. “We were fine, Lana… I’ll be heading to my rooms at the Blaster Path if anyone needs me. We can start our campaign against the Blades after I’ve had a good night’s rest.”

Lana watched shocked as Cipher stormed out of the hovel without a backwards glance. Then she looked at Theron who seemed just as stunned.

“Are you all right?’ she asked him.

“Cipher was being… friendly,” he said with a blush that he didn’t need to fake.

“I can ask her to stop if it makes you uncomfortable,” Lana offered.

He shook his head and said, “I can handle her, Lana, but thanks.”

***

Theron listened softly as the encryption package did its work. He’d passed a copy to Vector on their way out and trusted the strange diplomat to get it to Narysa without any problem.

There was an atonal noise in his inner ear then, “accept incoming.”

“Cipher?”

“I’m alone, Theron, and the encryption is running perfectly on my implants. You do good work.”

He sighed in relief and laid back in his bed. Lana wouldn’t be interrupting them again tonight he suspected. In fact, he was pretty sure she was horrified, so hopefully she’d keep her distance for a bit.

“So how angry are you really, Narysa?” he asked her quietly.

“Not really, but the reaction fit the part I was playing,” she said with a laugh, “I will admit to feeling a little… frustrated, however.”

“Frustrated, huh? And if I said I felt the same?”

“I’d say we should do something about that.” Her voice dropped to a husky whisper. He moaned and let his head loll back into the pillow as she continued. “I miss touching you, Theron. The feel of your skin, the taste of you. How you hold me down. How you feel inside me… the heat of you when you come.”

Another moan, and he grit his teeth against the pressure he felt building. He unfastened his pants and rolled them down over his hips. Callused fingers curled around his erection, and very slowly began to stroke.

“What else?” he managed to get out between raspy breaths.

“All these months, I’ve been thinking about you, what you do to me. I scream your name into the pillows when I make myself come. I can’t think of anyone else, it’s just you.”

Harder, faster. Up, down, flick, twist.

He closed his eyes, imagining her, “I want to touch you, Narysa. I wanted to bend you over that terminal earlier and take you until you were wet and sore.”

“Oh yes! Please…” He could hear the arousal building in her voice, she was close, and he wondered if he could push her over the edge.

“Or maybe I should have gone down on you…”

“Ah! Theron!”

“You like that?” he whispered as he stroked himself. “I know how much you love having me in your mouth, and damn I love the taste of you in mine!”

The incoherent sounds she made triggered his own release, and he came in a wash of pleasure.

As he came back to himself he heard her breathless laughter on the other end of the line.

“Did we really just use a highly-encrypted line to…?” she asked. 

“Yes, we did, and before you ask this was a first for me.”

“First time that the line was encrypted or first time that you’d had comms sex?”

“Both, and while I think I still prefer the real thing, this was… pretty damned good.”

She let out a gurgle of happy laughter, “yes, it was.”


	6. Hurt and Comfort

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Narysa takes care of Theron after the battle of Rishi

Theron managed to keep himself standing during the meeting between Satele and Marr. It was hard to see Narysa standing at the Dark Council member’s side, but they all had their parts to play.  But now the two of them stood alone in the safe house, he found himself venting about Satele, of all people.

“I love it,” he said, “she calls me her ‘agent’ as if it’s coincidence we have the same last name. Of course, it’s not like Master Satele raised me or anything like that. The fact she’s my mother is just biology.”

“You’re a terrible liar, Theron,” Narysa said, “this isn’t just about biology for you so talk to her about it.”

He stopped and tried to come up with a snarky answer, but couldn’t. “Maybe after we end this and things calm down, I’ll do that, but we better get to our ships.”

“Not ships, Theron. Ship, singular,” Narysa told him. “You’ve still got some severe injuries and I happen to have a very good doctor and an advanced medical bay aboard the _Shadow_.”

Theron was about to object on the grounds that people would talk, but Cipher had laid her groundwork well. Plus, it gave him an excuse not to ride with Satele.

“Deal,” he said to her then leaned in and whispered in her ear, “you always do take good care of me.”

She flushed and whispered back, “Once you’re out of the kolto tank I plan on taking very good care of you…”

***

“What’s the prognosis, Doctor?” Cipher ask Lokin a few hours later as she watched Theron drift in _Shadow’s_ kolto tank.

“The torture was thorough but they weren’t seeking to cause any significant lasting damage, so I’d say the good Agent will be up and about within two to three hours.”

“That soon?”

“As I said, they weren’t seeking to do lasting damage so they limited themselves to soft tissue. Painful, but easily repairable.”

Cipher thought for a moment, considering what she knew of Theron’s family, then nodded. It made sense that Revan might wish to keep his family from lasting harm.

Lokin looked her over for a moment and then said, “I don’t wish to intrude in your personal affairs, Cipher, but this man is the enemy.”

Cipher smiled at Lokin’s caution, “that he is, and a talented one, but he’s no Master Conspirator is he, Doctor?”

Lokin snorted, “you’ll do as you will.” The doctor turned to leave but Cipher laid a hand on his shoulder.

“He’s a side project, nothing more, Eckard.”

That seemed to mollify the doctor, and he left Cipher to her thoughts as she watched Theron drift in the kolto. She reached out, placing her hand on the tank.

_This is no_ side project _, Narysa,_ she told herself _, but what_ is _it?_

She’d always been honest with Theron that she’d felt an attraction to him, but was it more than physical? There’d been something, friendship maybe, that had been building between them before she’d left Coruscant. If she had asked for that transfer would it have led to something deeper?

_You can_ if _yourself into an early grave, but the more important question is what do you do now?_

She had no answer to that, and that scared her as she watched the man in the tank, remembering how she’d reacted when Lana had told her of Theron’s capture. It’d taken everything not to lose her head and go after him.

_I can’t do this anymore,_ she admitted to herself, _I have too much emotional investment. After this, it’s time to get out. Once I explain it to Ardun, I think he’ll understand. The question is will_ Theron _?_

***

Four hours later, Theron stepped out of the refresher and into Cipher Nine’s private quarters. “Imperial Intelligence had you travelling in style, didn’t they?”

Cipher smiled as she locked the door and activated a small sensor on her wrist. The scanner cycled through the room scanning for any bugs, then beeped when it was clear. “Yes, they did. How are you feeling?”

“Better. Your doctor’s as good as you say. A little creepy, but good. My own estimate had me under twice as long.”

“Lokin is something of a miracle worker, but be careful; he used to be Imperial Intelligence as well.”

Theron nodded as he reached for the clothing laid out on the bed. “Doesn’t surprise me. He’s got that kind of vibe.”

Cipher nodded then went quiet. Theron looked over at her as he pulled on his pants and asked, “what?”

“I was wondering if you wanted to talk about it?”

“What’s there to talk about? Not the first interrogation session I survived, won’t be the last either.” He watched Narysa’s face, “come on… talk to me.”

“I nearly broke cover, Theron. I was ready to kill Lana for what she’d done,” she said not looking at him. “Disposable people. It was part of the reason I…”

He took her in his arms. “Heh, I’m here and alive, and you did the right thing given the situation. You also saved my life.”

“I just held the door open.”

He shook his head and said “don’t sell yourself short, Narysa, and I should have known you’d come for me.”

She cupped his face in her hands. “Yes, you should have,” she said as she kissed him warmly.

When the kiss broke, she looked into his eyes and said, “I don’t know what this is between us, Theron, but it’s not just physical any longer. Not for me.”

“Yeah, I get that,” he replied as his arm snaked around her waist and his free hand began to stroke her hair. “Whatever this is, it isn’t just lust.”

“After this mission, I’ll talk to the Director himself if I have to,” Narysa said, “I’ve been under too long.”

He reached down to stroke her cheek, “I doubt he’ll be happy but he’ll listen in the end. You’re too valuable an agent to the SIS.”

She smiled at him. “Let me take care of you tonight?” she whispered.

“How?” he asked.

“Lay down on your stomach,” she replied sliding her fingers down his neck, following the hollow of his throat then down to the center of his breastbone.

“Okay…” he replied as he did as she commanded. She then straddled his hips and began to massage his shoulders. He moaned softly as her fingers worked his upper back. “Mmm…. This is much better.”

“Now do you want to talk about it?”

“What’s there to talk about, it was pretty standard interrogation, except for the fact it was being done by troops working for my long supposed to be dead ancestor. Between Jedi meditation techniques and my implants, I was able to handle most of the pain.”

“Those techniques sound useful,” she told him as her hands moved down his back. Her touch more and more sensual. She leaned in, whispering in his ear, “perhaps you could teach me?”

The feel of her warm breath on his skin was the last straw. He rolled onto his back and pulled her into another heated kiss. Once they broke, Theron looked up at her and smiled slyly. “Maybe, but not tonight.”

“You have something else in mind?”

“Yes, in fact I do.”

She gave him an old-fashioned look ruined by the laughter in her eyes, “Don’t leave me in suspense, Theron.”

“You, out of that bodysuit, wet and aching.” He murmured

“Am I bent over a terminal?” she asked as she reached for the zipper on her jacket.

“Not today… I want you like this,” he said as his hand caught hers.

To his surprise, she broke away, stepping off the bed. He pushed himself up on his elbows to get a better look at her, an apology for going too far on his tongue when she began to slowly strip each piece of clothing away. He watched her, transfixed, as her shirt and bra hit the floor. The pants and boots were a little more rushed, but then she stood there, completely nude.

“Narysa, please…”

She crawled into bed next to him and said, “Make me ache, Theron.”

He reached for her, his mouth moving to her breast. The warmth of his tongue teasing the roughness of her nipple. She gasped as he began to suck, her fingers digging into either side of the bedsheets. He teased one breast, then the other as his other hand found its way to the apex of her thighs. A finger slid inside of her slowly, joined by a second, then a third.

“Theron… need more.”

“More what?”

“Need you!”

He shook his head, “Not yet.” He moved lower, letting the scent of her intoxicate him. He remembered that night on Coruscant with longing. The sound of her voice, the way she moved. He wanted that again. He wanted to make her come that way again.

He lay between her legs, resting on his elbows as he leaned in and traced the seam of her inner lips with his tongue. Slow, deliberate licks, gathering up every bit of moisture, every taste of her, and it still wasn’t enough to sate his hunger for her.

Narysa buried her fingers in his hair as her body responded to Theron’s deft touch. Muscles wound tight as the orgasm built inside her, but she held back. If she was going to be wet and aching, he was going to have to work for it.

His fingers joined his tongue as they thrust inside her, but she fought to hold out until she felt his tongue curl around her clit, and she came in a rush.

Theron moaned as the climax hit, tasting it on his tongue. He looked up at her, watching it cross her face, knowing he’d never see anything else so beautiful ever again.

When Narysa caught her breath, she looked down at him and smiled. “Well, I’m wet. Shall we take care of the aching?”

“Let’s,” Theron agreed.

They shifted positions as he stripped his pants back off and pulled her on top of him. She knelt over him, tracing the lines of her body, teasing her breasts. His hands went to her hips as he watched the show while hers slid further down to guide his length into her. She slid down so slowly it nearly drove him mad, but she was wet and still so tight. She shifted a little as her body fit to his, then they began to move.

The two of them came together in a punishing rhythm, his fingers digging into her hips as hers dug into his shoulders.

Narysa felt the pleasure building in her again, but she suspected Theron wouldn’t last so she balanced herself with one hand, reaching the other down to tease her clit, but Theron was there first, teasing, stroking. She shattered, and he followed her as the intensity of the orgasm crashed into him.

“Mmmm…. That was wonderful,” Narysa slurred as she stretched (much to Theron’s fascination) and then shifted so she was laying with her head on his chest, his arm about her shoulders. “This ache feels so good.”

“I’m glad,” he said with an exhausted grin.

She snuggled closer and asked, “do you think if we asked nicely Revan would stop?” The look on his face was answer enough as she sighed, “no, I didn’t think so either.”


	7. Legate

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lana says goodbye while Narysa and Theron are given new assignments

“So, it’s just the three of us once again,” Narysa said with a slight smile as she found Theron and Lana waiting for her near a tumbledown wall in the Yavin ruins where the coalition forces had camped.

“So it is,” Lana agreed tentatively. She had apologized to Theron before they left Rishi on Cipher’s insistence, and had done everything she could to prove herself since. It was obvious from comments that she had made while Cipher had been out in the field that she honestly wanted to win Theron’s trust back.

While Narysa wasn’t sure if she’d succeeded, but there was something warm in Theron’s eyes as Lana spoke.

“Be well to yourself, Theron,” she said.

“Yeah… you too, Lana,” he replied.

As Lana turned away, she touched Narysa’s shoulder lightly. “We’ll speak soon,” she said, but there was an almost wistful look in her eyes as she looked back at Cipher and Theron.

“There goes one to watch,” Theron said once Lana was out of earshot, “or one to watch out for.”

“Agreed,” Cipher said, then looked at him, “I know this is a foolish thing to ask but now what? For you at least?”

“I’m back in the fold, with a promotion no less.”

“And well earned,” she told him, trying to be happy, but all she could feel was tired.

“We don’t have to talk, if you don’t want to,” Theron said suddenly.

“Just hold me until we have to go?” she asked him.

“Anything you want.”

***

It was strange to be back in the SIS offices after such a long time, and the looks Theron got from his fellow agents made him wonder what kind of rumors had been running through the building while he’d been gone. He made his way up to the director’s office and knocked on the door.

It slid open, and Theron nodded hello to his boss, then he realized they weren’t alone in the room.

“Theron, have you met Ardun Kothe?”

He blinked at the name. Kothe was one of the best spymasters SIS had. “No, I haven’t had the pleasure.”

“I’ve heard a lot of good things about you, Agent Shan, especially after this whole Revanite operation.” Kothe said, “the director and I have decided to transfer one of my assets to your taskforce: Legate”

Theron shook his head as if to clear it. Legate was something of a legend in the SIS, and there were debates on if he was even one person or several operating in tandem because no one could believe the SIS could get someone so high in the Imperial hierarchy, even with the chaos of the past few years.

Kothe held up a small datafile, and said, “You’ve been cleared for all her previous mission records along with her psych profile.”

Her… Theron wanted to smack himself in the head because everything made sense. SIS hadn’t place someone in the hierarchy, they’d turned someone already there.

Director Trant looked at Theron and said, “This isn’t a favor, Shan.”

“I understand that, sir.” Theron replied feeling a little resentful suddenly.

Kothe held up his hand, “All cards on the table here. Narysa Pryce is probably the most accomplished agent I’ve ever had the honor of working with. I also owe her a debt, so I’m damned protective of her, Theron. At the same time, she has unprecedented access to Darth Marr and Sith Intelligence, making her our best hope of knowing how the Empire is dealing with Vitiate.”

 “Understood, sir,” Theron replied, “I’ll take good care of her I promise.”

 _I always do_ , he thought as he considered the future.


End file.
